Several factors may contribute to lost sales at a store. For example, delays associated with an in-store checkout process can result in customers leaving merchandise at the store even though the customers wanted to purchase the merchandise. Specifically, customers often walk through their favorite store, see merchandise items that they want to purchase, but ultimately decide not to purchase the merchandise items after observing delays associated with, for example, waiting in line for a long time to complete the purchase. This scenario may occur even more frequently during holiday periods when a large number of customers tend to make purchases at a store at the same time, leading to long checkout lines and accompanying delays. As a result, a store may lose a significant volume of sales even though many potential buyers may visit the store during these shopping periods.
As another example, a store can also lose sales of merchandise items when the store does not have the merchandise items desired by a customer in stock at that store location. For instance, a customer may have seen a merchandise item previously at a store location or in an advertisement associated with that store, and the customer may travel to that store location with the intent of purchasing that merchandise item. That store location, however, may not have that merchandise item in the correct size or in sufficient quantities. This results in a loss of the sale if, for example, the customer does not return to that store location to purchase the merchandise item when the merchandise item does become available at that store location. This situation becomes more problematic when another store visited by the customer has the merchandise item, or a similar merchandise item, in stock and the customer makes the purchase at the other store.
The ubiquity and ease of online shopping also has the potential to decrease sales from a store. For example, customers may walk into a brick and mortar store, look at a merchandise item, but then decide to order the item online potentially with another merchant. Customers may do so because online ordering provides the customer with the convenience of receiving the items directly at a desired address. Online ordering also allows the customer to conveniently ship the same or different items to one or more addresses.
In view of the above deficiencies, there exists a need for improved systems and methods for providing customers with a fast and convenient, no hassle process to purchase merchandise items at the customer's favorite store. Further, there exists a need for improved systems and methods for conveniently delivering the purchased items to one or more destinations identified by the customer. Additionally, there exists a need for improved systems and methods for managing the inventory of merchandise items in a store together with the inventory in other associated warehouses or stores. Such improved systems and methods have the potential to dramatically increase retail sales at a store by creating a no hassle process that enables spur of the moment purchasing decisions by a customer visiting the store.